Sarah Palin and Daughter, Bristol, Seek to Trademark Their Names

And so is her daughter, Bristol, who has become something of a celebrity in her own right.

The move is traditionally unusual for a politician. However, both women have made a name for themselves in pop culture, where Sarah Palin, for instance, has 3 million Facebook fans. So protecting their names helps them prevent others from profiting from their popularity and gives them additional leverage over anyone who might seek to assume their identities on the Internet, reports ABC News.

“What they’re seeking is not unusual,” says Daniel Glazer, an intelletual property attorney. “As opposed to athletes, musicians, actors who maybe seek to trademark with a perfume or a sneaker, politicians would be more likely to obtain trademark for providing content on a web site and speaking services.”